522 MYSTIC ISLES 



vironment of that lovely village. The white men before 

 me had as hard, unsympathetic faces as the Asiatic, who 

 was reputed to deal in opium as well as men and women 

 and jewels. 



Yet their welcoming shout of fellowship was pleasant, 

 despite a note of derision for my staying so long away 

 from the fleshpots of Papeete. Pincher and McHenry 

 were themselves lately arrived, but evidently had learned 

 of my absence from Lovaina. 



"What did you do? Buy a vanilla plantation?" 

 asked McHenry. 



"Vanilla, hell!" said Hallman, whose harp had one 

 string, "he 's been having his pick of country produce." 



Lying Bill said: 



"Well, you 'd better pack your chest for the northern 

 islands to-morrow if you 're goin' with the Fetia Taiao. 

 We '11 be off for Atuona and Hallman's tribe of canni- 

 bals nex' mornin'." 



I sat down and quaffed a Doctor Funk, and then in- 

 quired idly: 



"Where's David?" 



"David!" said Halhnan. "For God's sake! don't dig 

 into any graves!" 



" 'E's a proper ghoul, 'e is," Lying Bill said sarcas- 

 tically. " 'E thinks you 're a mejum!" 



They all stared at me as if I were crazy, and I felt 

 myself in an atmosphere of mystery, in which I had 

 broached a distasteful subject. I wondered what it 

 could be, but determined to know at all hazards, reck- 

 oning on no fine feelings to hurt. 



"What is the secret?" I asked. "I 've been away a 



